Sheldon home damaged in fire

By Elaine Ezerins

JustThe Facts

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SHELDON — A home at the intersection of Kane Road and Route 105 here went up in flames late Friday night, damaging but not destroying the building, according to Sheldon Fire Dept. Chief Richard Piaseczny.

Vermont State Police (VSP) and Vermont Division of Fire Safety have ruled that the fire was accidental. The Dodd family reportedly had just moved in, Piazeczny said. When the the new homeowners were moving into the house, they may have placed boxes on the kitchen stove and then, at some point, inadvertently turned it on.

A passerby noticed a glow coming from the first floor of the home and decided to stop by to see if anyone was inside, Piaseczny said. No one was home. By 11:10 p.m., the Sheldon Fire Department was called.

Piaseczny said the heat from the fire caused the windows on the first floor to blow out before the firefighters even arrived on scene. Enosburg Fire Department and Franklin Volunteer Fire Department provided mutual aid.

Piaseczny said the fire traveled throughout the entire home, starting on the first and ending up in the attic. He said the fire was difficult to contain because the house was well built. The firefighters had a much harder time breaking through walls made up of multiple boards, as opposed to sheet rock.

For this reason, Piaseczny said he believes the house could be potentially renovated. He said the owners would have to place the sheet rock and molding, but the structure is still intact.

Firefighters were on scene until 6 a.m. Saturday. Piaseczny estimated the damages at around $70,000 because there was little inside in the way of personal possessions. The house was mostly bare except for appliances, according to Piaseczny.